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New Member
posted Apr 18, 2021 7:30:01 PM

Education expenses entered - not showing up in deductions & credits

Hi - I'm using TurboTax Deluxe that I downloaded to my Mac.

I entered my daughter's education expenses (undergrad) & my wife's education expenses (grad school).

I verified they are there by repeating the entries in the step-by-step process & by reviewing the forms.

However, in the deductions & credits overview screen, only my daughter's education expenses are showing up.

Shouldn't my wife's education expenses be visible there too?

Note that my daughter qualified us for the AOTC credit but my wife got no credit / deduction.

Perhaps that's why my wife's education expenses aren't showing up.

0 4 915
4 Replies
Level 15
Apr 19, 2021 4:25:30 AM

Grad students are not eligible for the AOTC.  But are eligible for the non-refundable Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC) or the Tuition and Fees Deduction (TFD).

 

If you are eligible, you have answered  something wrong, in the interview. But, some people are just not eligible.  There is a lower income threshold for the LLC and TFD. So even though your income was low enough to get the AOTC for your daughter's ed, it may be too high for your spouse's ed.     See

 https://www.irs.gov/individuals/llc

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8917.pdf 

New Member
Apr 19, 2021 9:06:05 PM

OP Here -

 

Sorry, I wasn't clear...

 

I know that my wife won't get the AOTC as a grad student.  And she's not getting the LLC or TFD either. 

 

But I'm trying to understand if there's an error in the system.  I entered all of her education expenses.  On the Federal Taxes tab, Deductions & Credits tab, I thought her education expenses would show up.  They don't.  Are they ONLY visible if she's getting a deduction / credit?

Level 15
Apr 20, 2021 7:33:50 AM

Q. Are they ONLY visible if she's getting a deduction / credit?

A. Yes.

 

The expenses will show on the student info worksheet, but not on any forms or on the deductions/credits summary screen. 

 If you are claiming a 529 plan distribution, the expenses will only show on the student info worksheet and the 1099-Q work sheet; not on any actual tax forms or the  deductions/credits summary screen. 

New Member
Apr 20, 2021 9:23:28 PM

OP Here again...

 

Thanks for the response & information!